After arm wrestling for quite a few years I have seen many injuries from this sport. When two strong and determined individuals lock hands and start forcing each others hands down towards the table it is only a matter of time when an injury occurs.
Yes, Arm wrestling can be dangerous and result in serious injuries. The most common injury from arm wrestling is a humeral shaft fracture.
Arm wrestling is common in countries all over the world for both entertainment and sport. The younger generation generally sees arm wrestling as a way to show strength. In most cases, the sport is practiced for professional or recreational purposes.
You may believe arm wrestling is completely harmless, but the truth is it can result in a wide range of injuries if not performed correctly. This includes injuries to the muscles, connective tissues, joints and nerves.
Arm wrestling can also result in fractured bones. The majority of injuries reported include soft tissue damage such as muscular strain or sprain of the shoulder, elbow joints and wrist.
Unfortunately, a fairly wide range of fractures has been attributed to this sport. Taking the proper preparations prior to arm wrestling and performing the sport correctly can substantially decrease your risk of injury.
What is a Humeral Shaft Fracture?
The first humerus fracture was reported in 1975 after an arm-wrestling competition. Approximately four to six percent of all extremity fractures are classified as humeral shaft fractures.
The most common types of humeral shaft fractures are spiral-type and one-third mid-region. This type of fracture can result from the twisting and turning motions common with arm wrestling.
The first sign of a fracture can be seen on the surface of the bone. The main cause of a spiral fracture is an excess of stress placed on the bone. There are two different types of spiral humeral shaft fractures.
The first is an angled line wrapping around the bone. The second is called longitudinal. This type of fracture occurs around the axis of your bone. The force required to arm wrestle affects the rotation of several different shoulder muscles.
These are the latissimus dorsi, pectoralis and subscapularis shoulder muscles. These muscles are used to resist the force of the opponent’s hand. If excess force is placed on flexing your elbow or rotating your shoulder, the result is often a fracture.
If the force is placed on your rotator, the result can be a spiral fracture. If the force encompasses both your rotator and axial, the result can be a butterfly fragment. The type and location of the humeral fracture are dependent on the following.
• Arm and body position during arm wrestling competitions
• Body and muscle weight
• Fatigue
Can Arm Wrestling Damage Your Arm?
Yes, your arm can be damaged during an arm-wrestling competition. The type of arm fractures most common include:
• Humeral shaft fracture without butterfly fragmentation
• Humeral shaft fracture with butterfly fragmentation
• Medial humeral epicondyle fracture
• Radial head fracture including anterior dislocation
Your humeral bone is the bone located in your upper arm. This bone is lengthy, beginning at your shoulder and ending at your elbow. Butterfly fragmentation is a long bone fracture with triangular bone fragments.
Although arm wrestling is considered nothing more than entertainment, the increase in injuries signifies this type of competition can be dangerous as well. Brakes in the arm bone above the elbow have become fairly common.
The reason arm wrestling is not quite as friendly and harmless as you may believe is physics. Think about opposing forces, braces and levers. The sport is essentially a battle between your bent elbow and rotating shoulder joint.
The majority of pressure is placed on the bone in your upper arm. The result can be a horrible break in your bone accompanied by a nasty shock. When the humorous bone breaks, the crack is both audible and extremely painful.
The treatment for these types of breaks depends on the severity of the fracture. In most cases, surgery is necessary. The bone is repaired using metal plates and screws. Time is necessary to recover from surgery including rehabilitation.
What Other Types of Injuries Are Possible with Arm Wrestling?
It is possible to receive injuries while arm wrestling in addition to humerus and wrist fractures. When a humorous break results in a sharp fragment, some of your related structures can be damaged.
This can include your radial nerve and brachial artery. There are reports supporting damage to the radial nerve due to arm wrestling. Approximately 9.1 percent of participants in arm wrestling sustain an injury to the radial nerve.
These injuries were directly related to fractures of the humeral shaft. The most common radial nerve damage is due to spiral shaft fractures and oblique fractures. Once the radial nerve in the upper arm is damaged, the recovery period is lengthy.
Some individuals have recovered in as little as seven months, while others with more substantial injuries required as long as 16 months. Even after recovery is completed, symptoms can persist in the wrist or wrist extensor muscles.
These symptoms can include atrophy, weakness and radial nerve damage in the wrist muscles. Weakness can persist for six months.
Are Elbow Injuries and Pain Possible Due to Arm Wrestling?
The pressure placed on your elbow, triceps and biceps while arm wrestling is enormous. One of the most frequently seen injuries resulting from arm wrestling is tendonitis of the elbow.
Arm wrestling creates a substantial tension in the arm in addition to the twisting and turning motions required. The result is often either golf elbow or tennis elbow. The medical definition of tendonitis is an irritation or inflammation of the tendon.
A tendon is a thick fibrous cord responsible for the attachment of your muscle to bone. Another common injury of the sport is referred to as lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow.
Tennis elbow can occur when your extensor muscles are overused or aggravated. Many of these types of injuries can be avoided by taking the proper precautions before arm wrestling. This includes:
• Warm-up prior to participating in a wrestling practice or competition.
• Spend a minimum of 10 minutes doing jumping jacks or running in place to ensure your muscles are warmed up. Due to the incredible strain arm wrestling places on your arm, avoiding an injury without warming up first is extremely difficult.
• Strengthening your muscles around your elbow will help to stabilize your connective tissues and joints. This will help to decrease the likelihood of an injury.
Despite its popularity, arm wrestling can be dangerous. You are risking serious damage to your elbow. If arm wrestling results in a severe case of tendonitis, surgery may be necessary.
The majority of elbow issues sustained during this sport can be successfully treated with a combination of medication, therapy and rest. Surgery is reserved as the last possible resort for serious cases.
The Bottom Line
We hope you now understand despite the apparent innocence of arm wrestling, it can be a dangerous sport. If performed incorrectly or without proper training, the unfortunate result is often serious complications.
We recommend making certain you have prepared properly before participating to reduce your risk of injury. If you suffer a humeral fracture, surgery may be necessary to repair the damage.
You can also suffer from radial nerve, muscle, vascular and soft tissue injuries. It is important to understand these types of injuries can also cause damage to other structures of your arm.
Complications in your radial nerve and veins are a possibility. If you experience complications, you may require as long as 16 months to recover in addition to needing surgery.
If you have ever played sports such as football, basketball or tennis, you already understand the importance of being properly prepared and warming up. In this respect, arm wrestling is no different.